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Vice President Kashim Shettima
By El-Yakub Dabai, Birnin Kebbi
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Sunday said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved N50billion to assist five states engulfed by the menace of banditry in Northwestern Nigeria
He disclosed this during a condolence visit on the Emir of Argungu, Sama’ila Muhammad Mera at his palace in Argungu over the death of prominent Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Abubakar Giro, who passed away on Wednesday.
Shettima listed the benefiting states to include; Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna, adding that because of lingering security challenges Niger and Benue states were also coopted..
He assured that 1,000 houses would be constructed across the five states to be made available to the famililies of the victims of insurgency and very soon work would commence either to be flagged off in Sokoto or Kebbi.
Commenting on Agriculture,Shettima described Kebbi as rich state with deep loamy soil conducive for cultivating variety of crops, revealing that a move to secure $163m loan from the African Development Bank had been concluded in order to boost farming in the country and the funds would be given to agrarian states.
“It is not going to be like the Ancho-Borrower Scheme, interested states will be given fertilizers, seeds, solar powered water pumps and by November we shall start planting wheat. If Kebbi can provide 10,000 hectres of farmland we are ready to commence work. Jigawa as a pilot state has already provided 50,000 hectares of arable farmland to that effect” the Vice President said
In his speech, Governor Idris thanked the Vice President for the condolence visit, pointing out that all the developmental projects he put in place in his 100 days in office was as a result of the mentorship from the VP, promising to suuport all the policies and programmes of the Federal Government
Earlier, the Emir of Argungu appreciated the VP for the visit and noted that Governor Idris had begun the leadership with a very sound foundation that would take the state to greater heights of development.
